attempt Meaning, Definition & Usage

  1. noun earnest and conscientious activity intended to do or accomplish something
    try; effort; endeavor; endeavour.
    • made an effort to cover all the reading material
    • wished him luck in his endeavor
    • she gave it a good try
  2. noun the act of attacking
    attack.
    • attacks on women increased last year
    • they made an attempt on his life
  3. verb make an effort or attempt
    try; seek; essay; assay.
    • He tried to shake off his fears
    • The infant had essayed a few wobbly steps
    • The police attempted to stop the thief
    • He sought to improve himself
    • She always seeks to do good in the world
  4. verb enter upon an activity or enterprise
    set about; undertake.

WordNet

At*tempt" transitive verb
Etymology
OF. atenter, also spelt atempter, F. attenter, fr. L. attentare to attempt; ad + tentare, temptare, to touch, try, v. intens. of tendere to stretch. See Tempt, and cf. Attend.
Wordforms
imperfect & past participle Attempted; present participle & verbal noun Attempting
Definitions
  1. To make trial or experiment of; to try; to endeavor to do or perform (some action); to assay; as, to attempt to sing; to attempt a bold flight.
    Something attempted, something done, Has earned a night's repose. Longfellow.
  2. To try to move, by entreaty, by afflictions, or by temptations; to tempt. Obs. or Archaic
    It made the laughter of an afternoon That Vivien should attempt the blameless king. Thackeray.
  3. To try to win, subdue, or overcome; as, one who attempts the virtue of a woman.
    Dear sir, of force I must attempt you further: Take some remembrance of us, as a tribute. Shak.
  4. To attack; to make an effort or attack upon; to try to take by force; as, to attempt the enemy's camp.
    Without attempting his adversary's life. Motley.
    Syn. -- See Try.
At*tempt" intransitive verb
Definitions
  1. To make an attempt; -- with upon. Obs. Sir T. Browne.
At*tempt" noun
Definitions
  1. A essay, trial, or endeavor; an undertaking; an attack, or an effort to gain a point; esp. an unsuccessful, as contrasted with a successful, effort.
    By his blindness maimed for high attempts. Milton.
    Wharton. Syn. -- Attempt, Endeavor, Effort, Exertion, Trial. These words agree in the idea of calling forth our powers into action. Trial is the generic term; it denotes a putting forth of one's powers with a view to determine what they can accomplish; as, to make trial of one's strength. An attempt is always directed to some definite and specific object; as, "The attempt, and not the deed, confounds us." Shak. An endeavor is a continued attempt; as, "His high endeavor and his glad success." Cowper. Effort is a specific putting forth of strength in order to carry out an attempt. Exertion is the putting forth or active exercise of any faculty or power. "It admits of all degrees of effort and even natural action without effort." C. J. Smith. See Try.

Webster 1913